


flowers... and fish?

by cat_whiskers



Series: XBC Femslash Week 2021 [2]
Category: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff, XBC Femslash 2021, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:06:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29316048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cat_whiskers/pseuds/cat_whiskers
Summary: as Jin reflects on his sense of responsibility to Lora, he watches her spend time with the one she loves most.XBC Femslash days 2 & 3: post-battle, flowers
Relationships: Kasumi | Fan la Norne | Haze & Shin | Jin, Kasumi | Fan la Norne | Haze/Lora, Lora & Shin | Jin, Metsu | Malos/Shin | Jin
Series: XBC Femslash Week 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149290
Comments: 4
Kudos: 19
Collections: Xenoblade Femslash Week 2021





	flowers... and fish?

**Author's Note:**

> as expected, I did not keep up with XBC femslash week yesterday, so instead of writing two fics to catch up, I am lazy and wrote one to try and combine them both. haze/lora is a v underrated ship, I need to write more for them, and they are v v v cute, and honestly the wlw ships in xbc2 are acc too good. on that note, enjoy! pls leave kudos and comments if u enjoyed!
> 
> (also, I am ill and wrote this in one sitting, so I apologise if it is v OOC/makes no sense!)

When it was just him and Lora, Jin hadn’t minded but he had found it quiet. Not that he minded quiet, either – but he knew that Lora would appreciate more company. But they couldn’t risk anyone else knowing, anyone else in Torna finding out about him. So they kept themselves to themselves, and on they went, finding their way through the world. He watched her grow from a timid child into a confident young woman, and as every day passed knew he would do anything for her.

Sometimes, people misinterpreted it, that they were romantic or something, but that wasn’t the case. Jin and Lora loved each other, but it was like siblings. They were family. It was probably closer to a big brother? He’d not thought on it that much, but he knew that whatever it was, it wasn’t what everyone thought it was. What everyone would say it was, perhaps.

And then, they met Haze.

They’d been in the middle of doing some odd jobs when they’d come across the market. She was the grand prize, a core crystal for sale, and given the general sketchiness of the rest of the market it didn’t bear thinking what another would have done with her. Lora couldn’t leave it be, visibly distressed at the prospect of leaving an innocent blade to that fate, so Jin stole the core crystal and off they ran, a routine they were well-accustomed to.

Lora must have been what, 22 at the time? She had been so unsure, once they acquired the crystal. Would Jin mind? He assured her no, and honestly, it was true. He would always be her protector, would stand by her through thick and thin, but he was still awkward, quiet and even a bit shy. Not that he’d ever admit that, mind, he hid it behind a stoic exterior, but Lora was chatty and bubbly and deserved to have more in her life than her quiet blade.

It actually worked out as an all-round success. When Haze awoke, Jin couldn’t help but think, by Architect, she looks just like Lora. As they spent more time together, though, he noticed that whilst they bore a striking resemblance, there were little ways to tell them apart. Still, when they once decided to swap clothes and hair whilst Jin was out searching for wood for a fire, it took him longer than it probably should have to realise. In his defence, Lora did a VERY good Haze impression – the same could not be said in reverse, however. Haze was softer-spoken, but with the same cheerful energy that couldn’t help to light up a room.

Lora seemed… happier, for want of a better word, when Haze joined their little crew. Sure, it was one extra person to consider for feeding – but then, it was one extra person to chat with, one extra pair of eyes to watch their back. And she was a healer, and Architect knew they were in dire need of that, given Lora’s propensity to get all sorts of scrapes and bruises on the battlefield.

Such was the situation this evening. They were out camping, and Haze was with them for now. Though she had embarked on a couple of reconnaissance missions on their behalf recently, as they had been following rumours of Lora’s mother, tonight they were reunited. Jin was happy for it, too. He genuinely did really like Haze, she was part of the family, and it was nice to have another blade around – there were some things that Lora couldn’t really understand about it, and sometimes it was nice to have someone who just GOT it. When Haze left, Lora tried to hide how her face would fall, her shoulders slump, how Haze would take some of that vibrancy with her – unfortunately, Jin knew her far too well to remain oblivious to that. Haze’s return was always welcomed with a wide smile and Lora dashing to hug her, as Haze reciprocated in kind.

Then, of course, came the blushes and awkward hidden smiles and looking down at their feet to hide how pleased they were to see each other. At this point, Jin found it more entertaining than anything else.

He sat, making up the dinner from whatever they’d foraged today. Some fish, mushrooms, some other various food items – he could work something out. Haze held Lora’s arm gently, sending her healing energy across the bumps and grazes, washing her healing power over the small injuries. Jin could defend them both to the death, but he did not have Haze’s abilities, and that’s why they formed such a successful team to protect Lora. Lora hissed in pain, but Haze’s hands remained steady. “I’m sorry my lady, it shouldn’t take much longer.” At first, Haze had been so nervous that her healing could cause Lora some small, initial pain in the recovery – but she had grown, and now her hands were steady, even as Lora gritted her teeth together.

“It’s fine, Haze, don’t worry about it.” Her smile-grimace answered the silent concern in Haze’s eyes, as she finished off. Jin turned back to what he was doing, happy to leave them in peace. Lora, foolishly brave as she was, had pushed Haze out of the way earlier in battle, allowing herself to get smacked backwards by a monster’s tail instead. Though it was out of some misguided instinct to protect, Jin had internally berated Lora after – Haze and him were here to _protect_ her, they could easily recover without the need for healing ether. But he supposed that came from growing up around a blade – she would sometimes forget that she was not invincible, that she could not regenerate from her core crystal, that she was painfully _mortal_.

He looked back over. Haze had finished healing Lora, and they were sat closely together, whispering. Then, Lora looked on the ground. They had camped in a beautiful patch of wildflowers tonight – a far sight from some of the wastelands they had visited recently, destroyed by the Aegis’s hand. But this was an unspoilt plot of nature, wildflowers all around them. Jin wasn’t particularly interested in flowers, but even he could appreciate the natural beauty they sat among tonight.

He watched, as Lora pointed out all the different varieties to an enraptured Haze. As Lora picked a flower, and ever-so-gently, brushed her hair aside to place it within. As Haze smiled in appreciation, and Lora blushed because that’s just what she _did_ when Haze had that special smile for her, so of course Haze blushed too. And then, Haze lent forward, delicately holding Lora’s chin in her hand, and their lips met.

Oh. Well that was a new development. They clearly weren’t aware that Jin had spotted their moment of tenderness, and Jin thought it best to keep it that way for now. Let them figure it out on their own, and all that. He returned to focusing on the cooking, only looking up as Lora and Haze came over to the fire, ostensibly to chat as they normally would in the evenings (or more accurately, Lora and Haze would chat, and he would very occasionally offer a contribution that amounted to more than a grunt). This time, though, Jin noticed how their fingers were interlocked. They weren’t quite as subtle as they thought, but Jin would never be one to point that out to them.

Besides, Lora was happy around Haze. She had this look in her eyes whenever Haze was around, that Jin never quite understood, but knew was a sign of deep affection. Jin would do all he could to protect their happiness.

* * *

It was one of the memories Jin thought had mostly been buried, until many years later, he found himself sat out in Gormott, near the Oasis where they’d helped that young driver once, many years ago. It was a crude recreation, yet there was Malos, holding out a fish. Dead, Jin hoped, that would be really odd if it were alive. Not that this situation wasn’t already a bit peculiar, if well-meaning.

“I thought you liked seafood, so, uh…” He rubbed his hand at the back of his neck, unintentionally making it also smell of dead fish, and Jin knew that would take forever to get out. But Jin appreciated that he was trying, that he had found something specifically for Jin to make him happy, that he had gone to the effort of learning specifically what Jin liked, and though it was not quite the form he would have asked for the fish to be in, it still touched Jin, making his cheeks go red even as he laughed. Malos, the end bringer, the grand Aegis himself - was he blushing too? Surely not, but there it was, and even he didn't have the power to conceal it. It all felt like déjà vu, and then Jin realised...

Oh. OH.

Well, this _certainly_ complicated things.

**Author's Note:**

> when will I find the haze to my lora??
> 
> pls leave kudos and comment if u liked!! thank u!! have a good day!!


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